60,000 People March in Peru To Support Israel as Ambassador Warns of an 'Alarming' Antisemitism Trend

Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered across the streets of Lima for a pro-Israel solidarity march, prompting Israeli Ambassador Gali Dagan to deliver an urgent warning regarding an alarming surge in global antisemitism.

Organised through an alliance between the international March of Life movement and the Worldwide Missionary Movement, an influential evangelical Christian body, the mobilisation demonstrated deep faith-based alignment across the Peruvian capital.

Dispatches published by international outlets, including The Jerusalem Post, Jewish News Syndicate, and The Algemeiner, reported conflicting accounts of the precise date and scale of the principal street procession, with attendance estimates ranging from 40,000 to more than 60,000 participants.

The public display of solidarity coincided with a separate assembly of more than 3,000 young people clad in white shirts at San Marcos University Stadium on 31 October, commemorating Holocaust victims alongside those killed in the 7 October 2023 attacks.

Addressing an emotional gathering that gave him a standing ovation on 31 October 2026, Dagan commended Peru for formally adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism, insisting that active public solidarity provides beleaguered Jewish communities with vital reassurance that they do not stand alone.

Peru's Pro-Israel March Draws Conflicting Crowd Estimates

The reported scale of the Lima demonstration gave Dagan's warning a prominent platform. However, accounts differ over when the main gathering took place and how many people attended.

The Jerusalem Post reported that more than 60,000 people marched on Saturday, 31 October. Jewish News Syndicate and The Algemeiner placed the larger demonstration on Monday, 2 November. The Algemeiner cited estimates of 40,000 to 60,000 participants.

Those figures have not been independently confirmed. The conflicting reports also leave open the question of whether journalists described the same gathering or separate events associated with the organisers.

The Israeli Embassy in Peru thanked participants, describing the Lima demonstration as an expression of friendship and solidarity.

One smaller event has a clearer record. The Worldwide Missionary Movement confirmed that more than 3,000 young people gathered at San Marcos University Stadium on Saturday, 31 October, during its national convention, 'Familia hay esperanza'.

The organisation said participants wore white shirts and commemorated the Holocaust and the attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023. Dagan attended alongside representatives of Peru's Jewish community. It remains uncertain whether those participants were included in estimates for the larger march.

Israeli Ambassador's 'Alarming' Antisemitism Warning

Addressing supporters, Dagan recalled the six million Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust. He urged listeners to recognise signs of hatred and resist indifference rather than treating remembrance as a purely historical exercise.

He also honoured Peruvian diplomats José Gambetta Bonatti and José María Barreto. Peru's Foreign Ministry has recognised their efforts to help Jewish families escape Nazi persecution by issuing Peruvian passports during the Second World War.

Dagan described the rise in antisemitism worldwide since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 as 'alarming'. The Jerusalem Post did not provide statistics supporting the extent of that increase, so the description remains his assessment.

The ambassador encouraged supporters to challenge antisemitic messages online and speak publicly in support of Jewish communities. 'The best response to hate speech is a firm, courageous and supportive voice,' he said.

His remarks followed an official announcement from Peru. On 27 October, the government's state newspaper confirmed that Peru had communicated its decision to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism.

The definition is non-binding and is intended as guidance for recognising antisemitism. It also states that criticism of Israel comparable to criticism of other countries is not, by itself, antisemitic.

Dagan welcomed the government's decision and thanked Christian supporters in Peru for expressing solidarity. Such public gestures, he told the gathering, showed Jewish communities that 'we are not alone'.